#digital marketing conference

[malviyafactualcommunication123]

Why Malviya Factual Communication is the Leading Digital PR Agency in India

In the ever-evolving world of public relations, finding the right agency to elevate your brand is crucial. Among the many options, Malviya Factual Communication stands out as a dynamic leader in the industry. As one of the top public relations agencies in India, the company has established itself as a trusted partner for businesses looking to build their brand on a global scale.

Expertise and Specialization in Digital PR

As a trusted Digital PR Agency, Malviya Factual Communication offers a comprehensive suite of services designed to boost brand visibility and reputation. Specializing in everything from press release distribution to media relations, their team has helped numerous brands successfully navigate the complex world of public relations. The agency has deep expertise in building brand positioning, establishing influencer partnerships, and securing media coverage across over 3,500 national and international news outlets.

Diverse Services for Effective Brand Growth

At the core of Malviya Factual Communication’s success is its ability to offer a wide range of PR services. These include:

Press Release Distribution: Ensuring that key messages reach the right audience through targeted media outlets.

Press Conferences: Organizing and managing press events that garner attention and promote brand stories.

Crisis Management: Handling critical situations swiftly to protect your brand's reputation.

SEO: Optimizing content for better online visibility.

Influencer Marketing: Leveraging social media influencers to extend brand reach and impact.

Social Media Management: Building a strong presence across various platforms to engage audiences and drive traffic.

These services have helped Malviya Factual Communication become one of the leading PR agencies in India, trusted by top brands across various industries.

A Reputation Built on Results

With a reputation for delivering impactful results, Malviya Factual Communication’s team has earned recognition as a premier Digital PR Agency. The agency’s commitment to transparency, excellence, and innovation has made them a go-to agency for companies looking to enhance their public relations efforts both nationally and internationally.

Their consistent success in media monitoring, TV interviews, and Wikipedia page creation makes them a key player in shaping the future of branding. By working with such a reputed PR agency, businesses can expect tailored strategies that yield real, measurable outcomes.

Why Choose Malviya Factual Communication?

When it comes to managing your brand's reputation, partnering with a top-tier PR agency is an investment in long-term success. Malviya Factual Communication has proven to be a trusted name, delivering stellar PR services with a focus on results. Whether you're a startup or an established enterprise, they have the expertise to elevate your brand to the next level.

For businesses ready to collaborate with a leading Digital PR Agency, Malviya Factual Communication provides the tools and strategies needed to shine worldwide.

For more information, visit Malviya Factual Communication or contact them at +91 78981 25773 or +91 89648 58263, or email them at contactmfc0206@gmail.com.

[tsreviews]

WebinarX Review: Unlock Top-Ranked Video Conferencing!

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Those who want to stay connected with their near and dear ones who they can’t meet in person

Any kind of marketer who wants to dominate a particular niche

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Get More Info

[digitalconfex]

DMAT Confex Malaysia 2024: Elevating Strategies in Digital Marketing and Advertising

Join us at DMAT Confex in Malaysia, where the leading minds in digital marketing and Advertising converge to explore the latest trends, strategies, and innovations. Discover the future of advertising and technology in the dynamic landscape of digital marketing. Network with industry experts, gain valuable insights, and propel your business to new heights. Don't miss this opportunity to stay ahead in the digital realm – reserve your spot now!

For more info visit: https://digitalconfex.com/dmat-confex-01-feb-2024/

[madstars-festival]

[MAD STARS through Female Eyes] Becky McOwen-Banks, Director, Creative X Global, Meta

[MAD STARS through Female Eyes]

: Becky McOwen-Banks, Director, Creative X Global, Meta

It was the first MAD STARS event Becky McOwen-Banks, director, creative X global, Meta. She also brought their female perspective to the final juries.

Becky has been a creative director, on staff and freelance, at agencies such as M&C Saatchi London, VaynerMedia UK & EMEA, New Republique and FCB Inferno as well as an active member of the SheSays committee.

Becky McOwen-Banks certainly threw herself into MAD STARS. She was a member of the Final Jury and New Stars Jury, as well as a speaker discussing Searching for Innovation? Then Shut Up and Get Out of the Way! A.K.A. Creative Entrepreneurship in Action. Here is her MAD STARS view:

What motivated you to be so involved? What was your impression of MAD STARS 2023? 

Becky McOwen-Banks: I have been on many global awards juries, but none that ran from Asia. I was keen to join MAD STARS, see the approach, meet more amazing talent and see for myself how it has been growing as an awards to be noticed. The combination of creative showcase and marketing business focus provides a balanced view of the industry, so I was excited and honoured when invited to get involved. I believe in the power of learning and curiosity have driven me throughout my career. The opportunity to visit a city I hadn't travelled to before, spend some time with leaders and creative talent was too good to miss. It is so important that we in the West don't become myopically focussed inwards and forget that there is so much more to discover and uncover. 

You were on the final jury. What stood out for you in the jury room (and did any work stand out for you in particular)? What were you looking for in the winners? 

Becky McOwen-Banks: We had a great mix of talent and skills in the Final jury for my categories which meant lots of good discussion about the work. Identifying what is the right work for this specific awards show, at this time and within the specific category makes judging different every time. This year lots of conversations focussed around work that made a difference to the world (like Knock Knock) but also rewarded paying clients for pursuing brave thinking.

A piece of work I loved and have shared since being home is the Ladies of Tang Dynasty for Daning Palace. I'm a typophile - I adore typography - so this was just delicious. The attention to the heart of the concept and then allowing their design minds to fly was brilliant. 

You were also on the New Stars jury. What did you think of the standard of work and the New Stars themselves as well as the judging experience? What were you looking for in New Stars winners? 

Becky McOwen-Banks: The NEW STARS jury was tough. There was a lot of great work and so little time. The awards facilitators were very strict with us to get through all of the entries with time for good conversation. It was really interesting seeing the variation in the approaches, and also seeing how some teams seemed to really get under the skin of the issue. The ideas that linked the heart and head were the standout winners, taking such a sensitive topic out of expected channels, to reach audiences wherever they may be - and all with empathy. You won't change behaviour on any topic by shouting at people and trying to shame them. The ideas required an understanding of the educational job that was needed in order to bring people with you and allow the message to be heard as well as the empathetic tone required.  The three points I had as advice for all teams was: 

1: Really question your own thinking. Be your own biggest critic.  Would the audience REALLY respond how I am suggesting? Would it really work? What is the simple message they would actually take out and remember? If you’re not strict in your own thinking then CDs or awards juries will be and will dismiss your thinking.  Learn to stress test your own ideas. Try them from every angle and always be honest with how effective the idea may be in the actual world. It's only this way you get to water-tight thinking. 

2: Keep pushing ideas.  Some ideas simply weren't evolved far enough, despite having a good insight and idea. Creatives (particularly at the early stages in their career) need to keep pushing to deliver full campaign thinking. It's also a way to test the validity of the idea itself. You can get two executions out of most ideas but then run dry - so push for 3, 4, 5 and show this idea can go anywhere. 

3: Crafting should always be secondary to the idea - in service of the idea, not instead of it. Great design and entry boards can never hide an average idea. Some entries were beautifully crafted, when I'd advise for this time-limited exercise that they should have been focussed 90% on idea and 10% on the board. 

Please tell me about your session. Why did you choose the topic and what were its main insights?

Becky McOwen-Banks: Searching for Innovation? Then Shut Up and Get Out of the Way comes from my MBA thesis subject. I am a creative leader committed to innovation and teams. My thesis enabled me to explore the effects that leaders have on their teams, not through their direct actions but through the team design and process they create - and subsequently if these different team designs then have a different impact on the ability to innovate. This felt like a topic that would bring together the MAD STARS audience of leaders and innovation. We are all after ways to learn and enable our teams and businesses to be better, so I thought this was a good way to share some of my findings. I've had a few enquiries for my presentation so I'm hoping that means it landed with some. The main insight is that the traits of leaders (or founders) do affect the shape of teams they create, and this does ultimately impact the ability to innovate. So, we all need to be more aware of the systems we are creating, that we are the ones inhibiting our own success. It also reveals that innovative leaders are those with interactive and interpersonal traits, and that these leaders create more fluid teams. 

Or to distill that into some simple guidance from my results:  1: Leaders who identify themselves as interactive/interpersonal create more autonomous team shapes  2: A more autonomous team shape results in more identifiable and measurable innovation with the added benefit of team positivity and confidence. 

[saifahmed90]

Discover the Impact of Digital Marketing Conferences in the UAE

Attending conferences is an excellent way to stay updated on the latest strategies and innovations in the marketing industry. Events focused on digital marketing conferences in the UAE provide actionable insights into areas like SEO, content marketing, and analytics, tailored to the unique dynamics of the region. Additionally, they offer valuable networking opportunities, connecting professionals with industry leaders, potential clients, and collaborators, fostering growth and innovation in the competitive UAE market.

[digitalworldvision]

Chris Palmer SEO Expert.

Chris Palmer provides his insights here on this question.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-hector-digitalworldvision

[jbdipama]

Conférence de l’UJEME sur l’entrepreneuriat à l’ère du digital : Stratégie et opportunités pour réussir dans un monde connecté

J’ai été ravi d’animer la conférence de l’Union des Jeunes des Églises et Missions Évangéliques (UJEME) du Burkina Faso  sur le thème : ‘L’entrepreneuriat à l’ère du digital : Stratégies et opportunités pour réussir dans un monde connecté’. À cette occasion, la plateforme Koenoogo.com a rédigé un article sur l’événement, que je vous invite à lire. L’Union des Jeunes des Églises et Missions…

[jolenes-book-journey]

Authors and Others Giving Zoom Presentations

This is for all my fellow authors and others who may be giving Zoom presentations in the next few weeks. Today I was presenting to a small group of authors online who are part of the Writers Alliance of Gainesville for a Marketing discussion. Just before I was ready to sign on there was a flash message that stated ‘UPDATE IN PROGRESS – DO NOT CLOSE’. Well silly me just went on making my coffee…

[malviyafactualcommunication123]

What Is a Press Conference? A Comprehensive Guide From Malviya Factual Communication

A press conference is a key element in modern communication strategies, used by businesses, public figures, governments, and organizations to share critical news, announcements, or updates with the media. It is designed to facilitate direct engagement between spokespersons and journalists, allowing for real-time interaction, questions, and clarifications on important matters. Whether announcing the launch of a new product, addressing a public relations crisis, unveiling a political policy, or sharing significant corporate changes, press conferences serve as a controlled environment for delivering accurate and consistent information to multiple media outlets simultaneously.

This format not only helps manage the narrative around key events but also ensures that the information reaches a wide audience through various media channels, including television, newspapers, radio, and digital platforms. By inviting journalists to ask questions, press conferences provide an opportunity for transparency and credibility, which can help build trust with the public. Furthermore, they are often used to mitigate rumors or misinformation, offering a unified message directly from the source.

What Is a Press Conference? Press Conference Definition

A press conference is a formal event where members of the press, such as journalists and media representatives, are invited by an individual, organization, or government body to address important news, share announcements, or discuss specific issues. It serves as a platform for open communication between the host and the media, allowing reporters to ask questions directly and seek clarifications on the topics being presented.

Press conferences are often organized when there is a significant message to convey to the public, such as the launch of a new product, the introduction of a new policy, a company’s earnings report, or an update on a crisis or issue. Press Conference provides an opportunity for the speaker to communicate a well-coordinated and consistent message, ensuring that multiple media outlets receive the same information simultaneously, which helps prevent misinformation or discrepancies.

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Types of Press Conferences:

Product Launch Press Conference: These events are held to announce new products or services. They often include demonstrations, testimonials, and detailed presentations to generate excitement and media coverage.

Crisis Management Press Conference: Organizations use these to address issues or crises, providing information to mitigate negative publicity. The goal is to communicate transparently and restore public trust.

Political Press Conference: Politicians or government officials hold these to announce policies, campaign messages, or respond to current events. They are crucial for informing the public and shaping political narratives.

Corporate Press Conference: Companies may host press conferences to share earnings reports, mergers and acquisitions, or major strategic changes. This type helps in maintaining investor confidence and public interest.

Importance of Press Conferences:

Direct Communication: Press conferences provide a platform for organizations to communicate their messages directly to the media, ensuring accurate dissemination of information.

Managing Public Perception: By controlling the narrative around significant events or announcements, organizations can shape public opinion and build credibility.

Transparency and Trust: Openly addressing issues during press conferences helps foster trust with the public and stakeholders, demonstrating a commitment to transparency.

Media Coverage: Well-executed press conferences can attract extensive media coverage, amplifying the message and reaching a broader audience.

Crisis Control: In times of crisis, a press conference can help address concerns, clarify misunderstandings, and provide reassurance, thereby minimizing damage to an organization’s reputation.

Can Malviya Factual Communication Organize Press Conferences in India?

Yes, Malviya Factual Communication can expertly organize press conferences in India. As a dynamic leader among public relations agencies, they specialize in facilitating impactful press events designed to promote brands on a global stage. With extensive experience in media relations and brand positioning, the agency ensures that each press conference is strategically planned and executed to maximize visibility and engagement. Their strong connections to over 3,500 national and international news outlets allow them to elevate a brand's presence across diverse markets. Whether launching a new product or addressing significant issues, Malviya Factual Communication is committed to delivering exceptional results and enhancing brand reputation in the competitive landscape of public relations. For brands looking to shine worldwide, partnering with Malviya Factual Communication is a strategic choice.

Conclusion: press conferences play a vital role in the landscape of communication and public relations. They offer a direct line of interaction between organizations and the media, facilitating the efficient dissemination of important information. By utilizing various types of press conferences—be it for product launches, crisis management, or political announcements—entities can effectively manage public perception, address concerns, and foster transparency. Ultimately, when executed well, press conferences not only enhance media coverage but also build trust with the public, making them an indispensable tool for any communication strategy

[thabisonjoko]

Reflecting on the Insights: MTN Bushfire and ARMC's Digital Marketing Workshop

Introduction: Recently, I had the privilege of participating in an enlightening online workshop session on Digital Marketing Strategies, organized by MTN Bushfire and ARMC. The event brought together industry experts and enthusiasts alike to delve into the dynamic realm of digital marketing. As I reflect on the invaluable insights shared during the session, I am compelled to extend my heartfelt gratitude to those who made it all possible.

Acknowledgments: First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to MTN Bushfire and ARMC for orchestrating such a thought-provoking and informative workshop. Their commitment to fostering knowledge exchange and skill development within the digital marketing landscape is truly commendable.

I would also like to extend a special thank you to the esteemed panelists who generously shared their expertise and experiences:

Reggie Rasodi: As an influencer and communications professional at ARMC, Reggie Rasodi brought a wealth of knowledge to the discussion. His insights into leveraging influence and communication strategies were invaluable.

Qhakaza Mohare: Serving as the Chief Operating Officer at Digify Africa, Qhakaza Mohare provided invaluable insights into digital skills development and empowerment initiatives. Her perspective added depth to our understanding of digital marketing's transformative potential.

KrTC of Hip Hop: As both an artist and brand influencer, KrTC offered a unique perspective on the intersection of creativity and marketing. His insights into building authentic connections with audiences resonated deeply with participants.

Eda Iskeceli: A Digital Strategist at Paradise Worldwide, Eda Iskeceli brought a wealth of practical expertise to the discussion. Her insights into crafting effective digital strategies were illuminating and actionable.

Key Takeaways: Throughout the workshop, several key takeaways emerged, which I believe will continue to inform and inspire my approach to digital marketing:

The importance of authenticity and transparency in building meaningful connections with audiences.

The power of storytelling as a compelling tool for engaging and resonating with target demographics.

The necessity of adaptability and innovation in navigating the ever-evolving digital landscape.

The significance of digital literacy and skills development in empowering individuals and communities.

Conclusion: In conclusion, I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to participate in MTN Bushfire and ARMC's Digital Marketing Workshop. The insights shared by Reggie Rasodi, Qhakaza Mohare, KrTC of Hip Hop, and Eda Iskeceli have undoubtedly enriched my understanding of digital marketing strategies. As I continue on my journey in this dynamic field, I am inspired to apply these insights creatively and ethically, striving to make a positive impact in an increasingly digital world.

[digitalconfex]

This Gaming & Animation Conference Will Change Your Career – Don't Miss Out!

Get ready to explore the future of gaming and animation at the most dynamic Gaming Conference and Animation Conference organized by DIGITALCONFEX! 🕹️🎬 Connect with top industry experts, discover groundbreaking innovations, and gain insights into emerging trends across digital marketing, IT, IP & legal, gaming, animation, travel, and more. 🌍✨

Visit to know more: https://digitalconfex.com/

[madstars-festival]

Call for Speakers🎙️

MAD STARS 2025 will explore the theme 'AI-vertising, AI Advertising Marketing Era' with groundbreaking ideas and insights. We’re seeking speakers who can share their unique stories and visions with a global audience. If you’re ready to inspire and bring your message to the world stage, this is your chance!✨ 🎤Navigate to: MAD STARS Homepage > JURY/SPEAKER PROPOSAL > Speaker Proposal

[helimadvertising1]

Marketing firm providing content, strategy, branding & inbound services with a focus on life science companies.We use our diverse backgrounds as Life Science experts, marketers, and creatives to develop and execute effective strategies for our clients.While we focus on emerging biotech brands, we also work with brands new to marketing in allied domain.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Keir Starmer appoints Jeff Bezos as his “first buddy”

Picks and Shovels is a new, standalone technothriller starring Marty Hench, my two-fisted, hard-fighting, tech-scam-busting forensic accountant. You can pre-order it on my latest Kickstarter, which features a brilliant audiobook read by Wil Wheaton.

Turns out Donald Trump isn't the only world leader with a tech billionaire "first buddy" who gets to serve as an unaccountable, self-interested de facto business regulator. UK PM Keir Starmer has just handed the keys to the British economy over to Jeff Bezos.

Oh, not literally. But here's what's happened: the UK's Competitions and Markets Authority, an organisation charged with investigating and punishing tech monopolists (like Amazon) has just been turned over to Doug Gurr, the guy who used to run Amazon UK.

This is – incredibly – even worse than it sounds. Marcus Bokkerink, the outgoing head of the CMA, was amazing, and he had charge over the CMA's Digital Markets Unit, the largest, best-staffed technical body of any competition regulator, anywhere in the world. The DMU uses its investigatory powers to dig deep into complex monopolistic businesses like Amazon, and just last year, the DMU was given new enforcement powers that would let it custom-craft regulations to address tech monopolization (again, like Amazon's).

But it's even worse. The CMA and DMU are the headwaters of a global system of super-effective Big Tech regulation. The CMA's deeply investigated reports on tech monopolists are used as the basis for EU regulations and enforcement actions, and these actions are then re-run by other world governments, like South Korea and Japan:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/10/an-injury-to-one/#is-an-injury-to-all

The CMA is the global convener and ringleader in tech antitrust, in other words. Smaller and/or poorer countries that lack the resources to investigate and build a case against US Big Tech companies have been able to copy-paste the work of the CMA and hold these companies to account. The CMA invites (or used to invite) all of these competition regulators to its HQ in Canary Wharf for conferences where they plan global strategy against these monopolists:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cma-data-technology-and-analytics-conference-2022-registration-308678625077

Firing the guy who is making all this happening and replacing him with Amazon's UK boss is a breathtaking display of regulatory capture by Starmer, his business secretary Jonathan Reynolds, and his exchequer, Rachel Reeves.

But it gets even worse, because Amazon isn't just any tech monopolist. Amazon is a many-tentacled kraken built around an e-commerce empire. Antitrust regulators elsewhere have laid bare how Amazon uses that retail monopoly to take control over whole economies, while raising prices and crushing small businesses.

To understand Amazon's market power, first you have to understand "monopsonies" – markets dominated by buyers (monopolies are markets dominated by sellers – Amazon is both a monopolist and a monopsonist). Monopsonies are far more dangerous than monopolies, because they are easier to establish and easier to defend against competitors. Say a single retailer accounts for 30% of your sales: there isn't a business in the world that can survive an overnight 30% drop in sales, so that 30% market share might as well be 100%. Once your order is big enough that canceling it would bankrupt your supplier, you have near-total control over that supplier.

Amazon boasts about this. They call it "the flywheel": Amazon locks in shoppers (by getting them to prepay for a year's worth of shipping in advance, via Prime). The fact that a business can't sell to a large proportion of households if it's not on Amazon gives Amazon near-total power over that business. Amazon uses that power to demand discounts and charge junk fees to the businesses that rely on it. This allows it to lower prices, which brings in more customers, which means that even more businesses have to do business with Amazon to stay afloat:

https://vimeo.com/739486256/00a0a7379a

That's Amazon's version, anyway. In reality, it's a lot scuzzier. Amazon doesn't just demand deep discounts from its suppliers – it demand unsustainable discounts from them. For example, Amazon targeted small publishers with a program called the "Gazelle Project." Jeff Bezos told his negotiators to bring down these publishers "the way a cheetah would pursue a sickly gazelle":

https://archive.nytimes.com/bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/22/a-new-book-portrays-amazon-as-bully/

The idea was to get a bunch of cheap books for the Kindle to help it achieve critical mass, at the expense of driving these publishers out of business. They were a kind of disposable rocket stage for Amazon.

Deep discounts aren't the only way that Amazon feeds off its suppliers: it also lards junk-fee atop junk-fee. For every pound Amazon makes from its customers, it rakes in 45-51p in fees:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/11/29/aethelred-the-unready/#not-one-penny-for-tribute

Now, just like there's no business that can survive losing 30% of its sales overnight, there's also no business that can afford to hand 45-51% of its gross margin to a retailer. For businesses to survive at all on Amazon, they have to jack their prices up – way up. However, Amazon has an anticompetitive deal called "most favoured nation status" that forces suppliers to sell their goods on Amazon at the same price as they sell them elsewhere (even from their own stores). So when companies raise their prices in order to pay ransom to Amazon, they have to raise their prices everywhere. Far from being a force for low prices, Amazon makes prices go up everywhere, from the big Tesco's to the corner shop:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/25/greedflation/#commissar-bezos

Amazon makes so much money off of this scam that it doesn't have to pay anything to ship its own goods – the profits from overcharging merchants for "fulfillment by Amazon" pay for all the shipping, on everything Amazon sells:

https://cdn.ilsr.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/AmazonMonopolyTollbooth-2023.pdf

Amazon competes with its own sellers, but unlike those sellers, it doesn't have to pay a 45-51% rake – and it can make its competitor-customers cover the full cost of its own shipping! On top of that, Amazon maintains the pretense that its headquarters are in Luxembourg, the tax- and crime-haven, and pays a fraction of the taxes that British businesses pay to HMRC (and that's not counting the 45-51% tax they pay to Jeff Bezos's monoposony).

That's not the only way that Amazon unfairly competes with British businesses, though: Amazon uses its position as a middleman between buyers and sellers to identify the most successful products sold by its own customers. Then it copies those products and sells them below the original inventor's costs (because it gets free shipping, pays no tax, and doesn't have to pay its own junk fees), and drives those businesses into the ground. Even Jeff "Project Gazelle" Bezos seems to understand that this is a bad look, which is why he perjured himself to the American Congress when he was questioned under oath about it:

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-58961836

Amazon then places its knockoff products above the original goods on its search results page. Amazon makes $38b selling off placement on these search pages, and the top results for an Amazon search aren't the best matches for your query – they're the ones that pay the most. On average, Amazon's top result for a search is 29% more expensive than the best match on the site. On average, the top row of results is 25% more expensive than the best match on the site. On average, Amazon buries the best result for your search 17 places down the results page:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/11/03/subprime-attention-rent-crisis/#euthanize-rentiers

Amazon, in other words, acts like the business regulator for the economies it dominates. It decides what can be sold, and at what prices. It decides whose products come up when you search, and thus which businesses deserve to live and which ones deserve to die. An economy dominated by Amazon isn't a market economy – it's a planned economy, run by Party Secretary Bezos for the benefit of Amazon's shareholders.

Now, there is a role for a business regulator, because some businesses really don't deserve to live (because they sell harmful products, engage in deceptive practices, etc). The UK has a regulator that's in charge of this stuff: the Competition and Markets Authority, which is now going to be run by Jeff Bezos's hand-picked UK Amazon boss. That means that Amazon is now both the official and the unofficial central planner of the UK economy, with a free hand to raise prices, lower quality, and destroy British businesses, while hiding its profits in Luxemourg and starving the exchequer of taxes.

The "first buddy" role that Keir Starmer just handed over to Jeff Bezos is, in every way, more generous than the first buddy deal Trump gave Elon Musk.

Starmer's government claims they're doing this for "growth" but Amazon isn't a force for growth, it's force for extraction. It is a notorious underpayer of its labour force, a notorious tax-cheat, and a world-beating destroyer of local economies, local jobs, and local tax bases. Contrary to Amazon's own self-mythologizing, it doesn't deliver lower prices – it raises prices throughout the economy. It doesn't improve quality – this is a company whose algorithmic recommendation system failed to recognize that an "energy drink" was actually its own drivers' bottled piss, which it then promoted until it was the best-selling energy drink on the platform:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/20/release-energy/#the-bitterest-lemon

There's a reason that the UK, the EU, Japan and South Korea found it so easy to collaborate on antitrust cases against American companies: these are all countries whose competition law was rewritten by American technocrats during the Marshall Plan, modeled on the US's own laws. The bedrock of US competition law is 1890's Sherman Act, whose author, Senator John Sherman, declared that:

If we will not endure a King as a political power we should not endure a King over the production, transportation, and sale of the necessaries of life. If we would not submit to an emperor we should not submit to an autocrat of trade with power to prevent competition and to fix the price of any commodity.

https://pluralistic.net/2022/02/20/we-should-not-endure-a-king/

Jeff Bezos is the autocrat of trade that John Sherman warned us about, 135 years ago. And Keir Starmer just abdicated in his favour.

Check out my Kickstarter to pre-order copies of my next novel, Picks and Shovels!

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/01/22/autocrats-of-trade/#dingo-babysitter

Image: UK Parliament/Maria Unger (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Keir_Starmer_2024.jpg

CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

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Steve Jurvetson (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jeff_Bezos%27_iconic_laugh.jpg

CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en